20 Things You Need To Know About Amy Adams

Here's Why Amy Adams Is One Of Hollywood's Best Actresses

Ever since her acclaimed performance in Junebug — for which the previously unknown Amy Adams was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar — and her star-making turn in Enchanted, the bubbly ginger has been Hollywood’s go-to nice girl, a role she’s embraced wholeheartedly (until now).

There’s just no denying Amy Adams’ natural beauty. Her prominent features, childlike eyes, perfect porcelain skin and flowing, auburn tresses combine seamlessly to form that rarest of things: a movie star. But despite Adams’ camera-ready appearance, it never quite translated to white-hot sexiness — the kind that’ll make you slap your mother for 10 more seconds of its presence.

She just always seemed too, well, good. Not anymore. With her down-and-dirty performance as Mark Wahlberg’s tramp-stamped girlfriend in The Fighter (seeing her in a black bra and underpants was revelatory), Adams went from girl-next-door to girl-that-will-make-you-pick-up-your-jaw-from-off-the-floor just like that.

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For an actress that struggled with her career for the majority of her 20s, Amy Adams sure has done well for herself. Her success took her to Minnesota in the 1990s to star in productions for the largest dinner theater in the country, where Adams caught the eye of Michael Nelson, a film producer, and landed her first Hollywood gig playing a cheerleader in the macabre beauty contest satire Drop Dead Gorgeous, which was being filmed nearby. Thanks to the urging of her costar Kirstie Alley, Adams decided to move to Hollywood, and the roles kept coming — albeit small ones.

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First, Adams scored a role in the FOX television series Manchester Prep, which was killed early and turned into an unwatchable straight-to-video nightmare called Cruel Intentions 2. Adams continued to take on smaller roles in films like Psycho Beach Party, The Slaughter Rule and Pumpkin, waiting patiently for her big break. Aching to know more? Here are 20 things you need to know about the gorgeous redhead:

1. Return to television

Amy Adams is co-producing and starring in HBO’s adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s novel, Sharp Objects, marking her first return to TV since 2006.

2. Hollywood recognition

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She got her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 11, 2017 next to the W Hollywood Hotel.

3. In the ranks

Adams was named one of 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2014 ranked #30 in AskMen's list of Top 99 Outstanding Women of 2015.

4. Typical U.S. army brat

Amy Adams was born in Italy and along with her four brothers and two sisters, they followed her father from base to base, before the family ultimately settled in Castle Rock, Colorado.

5. Before acting

Adams’ first full-time job was as a hostess, then waitress at a local Atlanta Hooters. The job itself only lasted three weeks.

6. Junebug break

Her performance in the sleeper independent film earned her a slew of awards, including the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress, National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress, Special Jury Prize at Sundance and most importantly, coveted Oscar nomination.

7. Road to stardom

Despite her Oscar nomination, Adams still had to beat 300 other actresses for her role in Enchanted. The movie went on to earn $340 million worldwide, and Adams became an overnight sensation, even performing one of the film’s two nominated songs at the Oscars.

8. Romance

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Adams met her now-husband, Darren Le Gallo, in an acting class. The couple married in 2015.

9. Motherhood

Before they were married, Adams gave birth to their daughter, Aviana Olea Le Gallo, in 2010.

10. Double take

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Adams is often mistaken for her friend, actress Isla Fisher, because well they really do look a lot alike. Fisher once superimposed Adams’ face over her own on the holiday greeting cards she created for her family. Apparently, no one could tell the difference.

11. More award-worthy nods

Having appeared in over forty feature films, she has starred in four films that have been Oscar nominated for Best Picture: TheFighter, AmericanHustle, Her, and Arrival.

12. Best Actress snub

Adams’ lead performance in Arrival left critics convinced that she was deserving of a Best Actress Oscar nomination but she ended missing out which left many fans surprised.

13. Artistic ambitions

While in high school, Adams had ambitions of becoming a ballerina.

14. The Gap experience

She was the greeter everyone loves to hate. At 18, while performing at a local community theatre, she took a job at Gap to support herself. We’re all glad those days are behind her.

15. Hot Girl

Adams’s role in The Office was first introduced in season 1 episode “Hot Girl.” She appeared in several episodes of the hit TV show between 2005 and 2006.

16. She grew up in a family of performers

After her father was discharged from the Army, he began singing professionally and her mother became a semi-professional bodybuilder.

17. Meryl Streep collaborations

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The two actresses starred in both Doubt and Julie & Julia together, and at some point during that time Streep taught Adams how to knit.

18. Not as authentic as you’d like to think

So, you may really love her as a redhead but Adams’ is actually a natural blond.

19. Musical talents

Aside from singing for Enchanted, and performing the film’s pop song “Happy Working Song” at the 80th Academy Awards ceremony, she’s also appeared on the soundtracks for Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day and The Muppets.

20. Endorsements

Adams became the face of Lacoste’s fragrance for women Eau de Lacoste in 2013.